Brachysynodontis batensoda

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Brachysynodontis batensoda

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Superclass:	Osteichthyes
Class:	Actinopterygii
Subclass:	Neopterygii
Infraclass:	Teleostei
Superorder:	Ostariophysi
Order:	Siluriformes
Family:	Mochokidae
Genus:	Brachysynodontis Bleeker, 1862
Species:	B. batensoda

Binomial name

Brachysynodontis batensoda
(Rüppell, 1832)

Synonyms

Synodontes ruppelli Swainson, 1838

Brachysynodontis batensoda is the only species of catfish (order Siluriformes) in the genus Brachysynodontis of the family Mochokidae^[1]. However, there has been debate as to whether or not this species actually belongs to the genus Synodontis^[2]. This fish originates from the Nile, Chad, Niger, Senegal, and Gambia River basins.^[1].

B. batensoda has 39–42 gill rakers rather than 7–33 as in Synodontis species, and its dorsal fin and adipose fin are contiguous. The body is short and deep, the eyes are large, and its colouration is gray-black tinged with brown, with a faint network of dark black spots. There is a comb of small spines near the point of the operculum^[3]. The maxillary barbels have membranes, though these are not as wide as in Hemisynodontis^[2]. Like Synodontis species, this fish almost always swims upside down^[2]. This fish may grow up to 50.0 centimetres TL and weigh up to 1.5 kilograms (3.3 lb)^[4].

This omnivorous fish feeds on plankton, algae, detritus, surface insects, chironomid larvae, benthic crustaceans and mollusks. It is oviparous and venomous^[4].

In the aquarium hobby, this fish may be known as the giant upside-down catfish; it is peaceful and hardy fish, but may be bullied by more aggressive Synodontis species^[2].

[edit] Footnotes

^ ^a ^b Ferraris (2007)
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d PlanetCatfish (2006)
^ Friel, John P. & Vigliotta (2006)
^ ^a ^b FishBase (2007)

[edit] References

"Brachysynodontis batensoda". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. Aug 2007 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2007.
Ferraris, Carl J. Jr. (2007): Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418: 1–628. PDF fulltext
Friel, John P. & Vigliotta, Thomas R. (2006): Synodontis acanthoperca, a new species from the Ogôoué River system, Gabon with comments on spiny ornamentation and sexual dimorphism in mochokid catfishes (Siluriformes: Mochokidae). Zootaxa 1125: 45–56. PDF fulltext
PlanetCatfish (2006): Brachysynodontis batensoda. Version of 2006-JUN-17. Retrieved 2007-AUG-02.